15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Theme: Jesus Christ, God the Son, is supreme far above and beyond all things that exist in the entire universe.
Outline: Nine truths about who Jesus is for you to know and embrace so that you will see Him rightly and worship Him fully in your life.
Truths about who Jesus is in relation to God the Father.
1. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. – v. 1:15a
Truths about who Jesus is in relation to creation.
2. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. – v. 1:15b 3. All things were created by Jesus. – v. 1:16a 4. All things have been created through Jesus. – v. 1:16b 5. All things have been created for Jesus. – v. 1:16c
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Redemption
What: A release that’s effected by payment. Freedom, liberation, deliverance.
How: Only by the blood of Christ.
Forgiveness of Sins
What: To send away, put apart, loosing, removal, remission, cancellation of debt, release from captivity.
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Big Idea: As we purposefully, spiritually pray for one another, God’s Word describes what a life that is becoming more worthy of and pleasing to our Lord looks like.
Outline: Four heart & soul check-ups of a worthy, pleasing life before the Lord that you should evaluate and seek growth in.
Check-up #1: Am I bearing fruit in good works for God? (1:10)
Check-up #2: Am I growing in knowing God? (1:10)
Check-up #3: Am I being strengthened by God, for endurance & long suffering? (1:11)
Check-up #4: Am I giving joyful thanks to God? (1:12)
9For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,10so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Big Idea: Our continual prayers for one another as Christians should focus on our spiritual needs, for the purpose of our actual lives becoming more worthy of and pleasing to our Lord Jesus.
Outline: The “What” and the “Why” of your continual prayers for each other (1:9-10a)
>What should you pray for other? That they would be “filled with the knowledge of God’s Willin all spiritual wisdom and understanding”. (1:9)
>Why should you pray for this for others? The purpose/goal is so that their actual lives would become more worthy of Christ and pleasing to Him in every area. (1:10a)
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and [g]understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Big Idea: The true Gospel is the basis of the Christian’s faith, love, and hope, and so should be treasured above all other messages we hear in the world.
Outline: 4 Gospel truths we should remember and relish to help us be reassured in our faith in Christ.
The Gospel is objective – it is the same word of truth everywhere (1:5b-6)
The Gospel is comprehensive – it is to be heard, understood, and learned (1:6, 7)
The Gospel is productive – it brings spiritual life and growth (1:6, 8)
The Gospel is undeservedly given – it is the grace of God (1:6e)
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Theme: Christians can and should be thankful to God that true believers have faith in Jesus Christ and love for all other believers, which come from the hope of the Gospel.
Outline: Christians can always be thankful to God for one another because:
True believers have faith in Christ – V. 1:4a
True believers have love for all believers – V. 1:4b
True believers have the hope of heaven via the Gospel – V. 1:5
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Theme: Christians are who they are in Christ by God’s will, set apart by God as spiritual family and recipients of God’s grace and peace.
Outline: Three realizations Christians should come to know about themselves in their relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
You have been chosen, converted and commissioned by the will of God. – v. 1:1
You have been set apart from this world to be faithful to God in this world. – v. 1:2a
You have been blessed with amazing grace and peace from God. – v. 1:2b
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
